The word 自从 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing a sense of origin or commencement. The first character, 自, originally picturing a nose, carries the core meaning of "from" or "self-originating". The second, 从, depicts one person following another and means "from" or "to follow". When paired, they create a compound where their similar meanings reinforce and intensify each other, jointly constructing the specific concept of marking a definitive starting point in time, essentially meaning "ever since from the time that".